With the wooden bike into the "lion's den". Austrian start-up MyEsel gets celebrity support from singer Joey Kelly.
Cologne – Sustainability is also always welcome in the VOX program "Die Höhle der Löwen". Now the Austrian start-up MyEsel has ventured in front of the jury. The concept of the DHDL candidates: They make bicycles out of wood and do not use conventional materials such as steel, aluminum or carbon. But the founders Christoph Fraundorfer and Heinz Mayrhofer come up trumps with another ace up their sleeve. They were able to win a member of the cult band "The Kelly Family" for their project. With singer and endurance athlete Joey Kelly (50), the bicycle manufacturers are now hoping for a strong tailwind.
Joey Kelly makes a strong case for wooden bicycles in the "Lion's Den"
The wooden bike from MyEsel scores above all with the production, as businessinsider.de reports. The wood (in this case birch) comes from the forest areas in Upper Austria, which avoids larger CO₂ emissions due to shorter delivery routes. In addition, the birch wood stores the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Another plus point in the fight against climate change. Another advantage is that the material offers better protection against vibrations.
The wooden vehicle has already passed its endurance test under prominent management. Extreme athlete Joey Kelly is said to have ridden the wooden bike on a tour from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in South America. The singer was so enthusiastic that he is now committed to MyEsel and is also a strong advocate in the negotiations before the DHDL jury.
MyEsel's producers are hoping for a big DHDL investment with Joey Kelly
The company around Christoph Fraundorfer and Heinz Mayrhofer currently has 15 employees. Their vision is to develop MyEsel into a Europe-wide bicycle brand. In the VOX program, the start-up hopes for an investment of 675,000 euros with the help of Joey Kelly. In return, the investor will receive a 15 percent stake in the company.
With the wooden bike into the "lion's den". Austrian start-up MyEsel gets celebrity support from singer Joey Kelly. © Screenshot/RTL+/Die Höhle der Löwen/Episode of 17 April 2023 (photomontage)
The team has already achieved success. According to media reports, the company is said to have made a turnover of 2018,250 euros as early as 000. A year later, the company's turnover had already cracked the million mark. The price range per bike starts at least 2,000 euros and can go up to 4,000 euros, depending on the design as an e-bike or sports bike. And interest in sustainable bikes has also increased: 2021 bicycles were sold in 1100 alone.
On the road to success or on the wrong track? In the end, the pitch went out for Joey Kelly and the makers of MyEsel. Sources used:businessinsider.de
